


Crime and Punishment

by rosedarkling



Category: Deep-Sea Prisoner, Mogeko, Okegom, funamusea, 廃れ夢 | Obsolete Dream, 海底囚人 | Deep-Sea Prisoner, 灰色庭園 | Haiiro Teien | The Gray Garden
Genre: Angst, Envi's just desserts, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mild Gore, Multi, Punishment, Satanick gonna show him who's boss, Torture, alternative universe, au where Satanick finds out what Envi did, don't mess with Daddy Satanick, don't mess with Licorice, implied Yaoi, unrequited feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:01:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25271296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosedarkling/pseuds/rosedarkling
Summary: The Lord Devil of the Pitch Black World isn't too thrilled to find out his son was mistreated by his most loyal follower. Every crime deserves the appropriate punishment.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	1. Normal

**Author's Note:**

> But for reals, can you imagine Satanick finding out what Envi canonically did? Envi, you gonna be in trouble. :P

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edit on 8/19/2020: Yo, everyone hold the phone for a sec! Go check out this AMAZING piece from this first chapter of this fic. Sav, you are gold!   
> https://www.instagram.com/p/CEFIM4HHwnZ/

Licorice huffed as he felt all the muscles and bones in his body aching like never before. With arms stretched above his head, the constant strain and lack of blood flow was leaving them feeling cold. Thankfully, he still had his limbs; that filth had “kindly” returned his left arm to him after having cut it off. His long, black hair hung down around his head, matted and knotted with blood and sweat. He could barely open his left eye thanks to the blood that ran down from his head wound having begun to clot. His white shirt, now stained red in various places, was unbuttoned and wrinkled, except for the last button that barely hung on to keep his shirt together. Though, this did little for him, as his pale chest could be seen. Purple, red, black, blue – various colors dotted his bruised, cut, and bloodied body. Anytime he shifted his weight on his legs, the myriad of wounds that littered his body would send streaks of pain wracking his body. He could easily tell various organs were damaged with the internal bleeding. After all, a keris through the chest would certainly do that.

Trying to hold back a groan, Licorice heard a chuckle in front him as a light moan escaped through his chapped lips.

There he was – that filthy goat demon. Licorice should have known that man wouldn’t have left so easily. The sound of his black dress shoes on the cobblestone floor caught Licorice’s attention to look up and stare into the smirking face of the man with red eyes, horns, and goat ears. Licorice hated that cocky look on his face.

 _I should have fought harder. I shouldn’t have underestimated him._ Those regrets lingered in Licorice’s head, but he quickly cast them aside. _No. No, I have every right to hate him. It’s his fault; not mine._ Anger resurfacing in his tired mind and body, Licorice glared right back at his father’s loyal subordinate. _More like lapdog_ , Licorice snidely thought. The way this butler-looking follower of Satanick’s looked, Licorice was quite taken aback when Envi had been the clear victor in the fight.

_“Experience makes all the difference, brat.”_

He could still hear the chuckle and snide remarks from that man as Licorice lie on the ground in a pool of his own blood, impaled through the chest.

Envi must have noticed Licorice’s rage as he shook, though he also suspected the boy was getting tired of holding his body up being stretched tautly to the ceiling by chain cuffs linked around both of his wrists and neck. He grinned mischievously seeing the strain on Licorice’s face; he relished in the disgust this brat held for him. _No matter_ , Envi thought. He had been the victor.

“You fiend,” Licorice growled, his voice husky from hours of hanging, being denied anything to drink. None of this would kill him – he knew that – but it sure hurt to be in this predicament. What hurt even worse was his wounded pride. Licorice bit his lip, causing it to bleed slightly. “Wait until my father hears about this!”

The long, olive green hair draped over Envi’s shoulder as he tilted his head sarcastically, those deep, red eyes gleaming triumphantly. “Oh? Really?” Envi approached Licorice further, and he laughed seeing the young demon flinch. He reached a hand out, his black-gloved fingers tugging on Licorice’s chin so their gazes were fixed on each other. He loved to see this brat riled up, knowing he was powerless in this situation. “I think someone’s gotten a bit too cocky after having lost so horribly.” He laughed as he saw Licorice clench his teeth together, snarling at him.

“Just you wait!” Licorice screamed back at him. “You may be my father’s right hand man, but I’m his son! His flesh and blood! I don’t care how “high and mighty” you are; my father will dispose of trash like you once he finds out what you’ve done to me!”

Licorice felt his blood run cold as Envi gave such a wicked smile he hadn’t seen before. The last time he had seen such a look on his face was right before he had been attacked in the field. Then again, Licorice had been the one to egg him on. Looking back at it, Licorice supposed he should have just attacked him unaware. No, that’s not right, he reasoned; after all, a coward only attacks like that. Seeing that devilish gleam in Envi’s eyes had Licorice now second-guessing if he should have gone the coward’s way.

“What’s that look for?” Licorice spat out. “Get away from me!” He tried to wrench his face out of the demon’s grip, but his fingers only dug deeper into Licorice’s chin to keep him facing him. Snarling, Licorice gathered what saliva he could in his parched mouth, spitting into the demon’s face. He felt some sense of satisfaction as the demon released him, backing off in repulsion. Licorice smirked as he watched the man wipe a hand down his face to get rid of the spit. Only until he saw Envi’s face did he feel proud of himself; now, he felt more on edge seeing the demon’s repulsed face now smirking once again.

“Wrong move, you little brat,” Envi cackled. This time, as Envi approached him yet again – Licorice bracing for pain – true terror spiked through Licorice’s body as he felt Envi’s mouth pushing onto his.

“Mmmghhh!” Licorice screamed behind the demon’s mouth, his eyes wide as he couldn’t begin to comprehend what was happening. Was this scum seriously kissing him?! _Get him off! Get him off, get him off, get him off!_ Licorice’s mind screamed as his body struggled to respond to this unexpected horror. Licorice tried to pull his body and head back, twisting his body in the chains to try to put distance between Envi and him, but the goat just followed him, continuing to push his lips roughly against Licorice’s. Licorice continued to scream, even as he felt the demon gripping at his curled, purple horns to keep his head steady. The longer this forced kiss continued, the more disgusted Licorice felt.

Finally, Envi pulled back, licking his lips smugly, the tiny bit of blood from Licorice’s bit lip now on his. Envi relished seeing the bratty demon’s knees shaking and knocking together as he stared at him in abject fear with those large, golden-orange eyes of his.

“So, Licorice, think you’ll be telling your dear father about _this_?”

Licorice stared at Envi with wide eyes, unsure what to say or do in this situation. Never before had he been kissed, let alone forcibly. After a few moments of unspoken tension, Licorice shouted at the top of his lungs, “You sick son of a – !” Envi’s grip on his crotch had him cutting his words short as his mouth hung open in shock. This only made the demon chuckle, and he tightened his grip. Licorice let out a cry as he felt both pain and a tingling sensation running through his body. He hated how his voice sounded just now.

“I asked you a question, brat,” Envi sneered, satisfied he had the boy rendered speechless. “But if you won’t answer, I suppose you need a bit more…convincing to keep that dirty mouth of yours shut.” With a push on Licorice’s chest with his left hand – Licorice yelped when Envi touched the large wound from where the keris stabbed him – Envi had Licorice pinned to the wall. He slid his left hand up from the young demon’s chest to his face, roughly gripping the right side of Licorice’s face. Licorice stared at him, fear clearly written across his facial features.

Licorice might not have had experience with this stuff, but he suspected what was coming. _This isn’t happening!_ his mind screamed at him. Despite his mind screaming, Licorice managed to finally choke out, “S – Stop! I mean it!”

“No. No, I don’t think I will,” Envi sighed out. “I think you need to learn your place. Mr. Devil’s son or not, you need to be punished for your crimes.”

As Envi began to slink closer to Licorice, Licorice finally was able to swallow his pride and the lump in his throat. He hated pleading, especially to someone like this man, but he had to put a stop to this now! “Please.” He hated the crack in his voice, but he continued. “Please don’t. Please don’t do this! I – I won’t tell anyone. I swear!”

Envi merely smiled, sending a shiver down Licorice’s spine. “Too late, Licorice. Too late.”

Kneeling on the cold floor of this unknown dungeon, Licorice curled up in a ball, wrapping his arms around himself, placing his bare chest onto his bare thighs. Even with his dirty shirt still on - albeit unbuttoned - Licorice felt so exposed. He shivered, and not just from the cold of the floor seeping through his skin and bones. Tears stung his eyes as he silently let them fall from his eyes.

His first time. His first time had been with this man.

Dirty.

Filthy.

Disgusting.

Licorice groaned as he let his long hair drape around his body, hoping it would somehow hide himself. Thankfully, that man – no, that demon – had left earlier, leaving the dungeon door open for Licorice.

_“Clean yourself up, boy,” Envi sneered down at him as he straightened his vest. “I’ve got to run. Duty calls. I’m sure your father needs me.” With a chuckle, the demon slipped out of the room, acting as if everything was perfectly normal and fine; like this was the usual occurrence in the Pitch Black World._

_M – Maybe it’s not a big deal_ , Licorice told himself. _Maybe this is…normal._

As he sat there sitting in his own filth mingled with that of Envi’s, the pain in his both his body and heart told him otherwise.

He knew for sure, now, that he couldn't let anybody find out about this terrible experience. 


	2. Returning to the Scene of the Crime

_“Wait until my father hears about this!”_

Licorice’s empty threat echoed back in his mind as he lie on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in his darkened room. Day after day, he lay awake for what seemed like hours, not being able to sleep. He constantly felt sickened by what had occurred. No one was the wiser to these events, which Licorice was thankful for. In front of Mother, he kept his composure, mostly staying in his child form and enjoying some quality alone time with them in the Flame Underworld. Only at night would these thoughts come to haunt him. Of course, he should have known that lying with those empty threats wouldn’t have deterred the demon; in fact, it seemed it only spurred him on to continue his fiendish acts.

“Stupid,” Licorice muttered to himself as he placed his right arm over his eyes, blocking out any fragment of light that remained in the room. Maybe the pitch darkness could hide him from these thoughts. No, that was a lie; if anything, the darkness just added further images to Licorice’s mind of how Envi had kissed him, touched him, and violated him. Licorice shuddered at the thought, feeling ill once again. He rolled onto his side, curling up slightly with his long legs, his long ponytail draped behind him. “Ugh,” he audibly groaned, now wrapping his arms around his stomach.

_“I won’t tell anyone. I swear!”_

Yes; he meant that.

Never.

Never ever would he mention this to anybody, _especially_ never to his father. Licorice detested that man. Every time Satanick came around to the Flame Underworld or Licorice would go to the Pitch Black World, he always hung onto his mother. Licorice gritted his teeth, reminded of how Satanick would constantly display his “affection” to Ivlis. Sure, it had appeared to have gotten slightly better – Ivlis wasn’t taken as often to the Pitch Black World for Satanick’s sick pleasures, but Licorice still could not get over the fact that his own father would do filthy things to his mother. Surely this wasn’t how relationships worked, was it? Licorice had never been in one before – he wasn’t even sure what the definition of normal was in regards to a relationship.

Normal.

There was that word ringing out again throughout his being. Was it normal to have gone through what he went through with Envi? Was that was sex was supposed to be?

“It’s fine,” Licorice whispered to the air, trying to convince himself that this was perfectly okay. The tears that began to slide down his cheeks told him otherwise. Nevertheless, he continued his own monologue. “It’s okay. I – I don’t care. No, I don’t.” Every word he said, he tried to take it to heart – to genuinely believe it, yet to no avail. He continuously repeated this over and over: “I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t.”

Thinking back on it, Licorice recalled that many people had multiple partners. After all, his father had a wife but was still pursuing Ivlis. So, multiple partners seemed to be fine, right? If that was fine, multiple sex partners must also surely be fine.

“Yes,” he told himself. “Yes, that’s fine. It wasn’t an important first time. The sex had no meaning. So it’s fine.” He sighed in a bit of relief as he tried to accept these off-of-the-top-of-his-head thoughts. “Yes, it’s fine. See? It’s fine.”

So, if it was so fine, why did he feel so violated? Why did these tears still fall? Why did the nausea that churned in his stomach, up his esophagus, and into throat not go away? As he groaned, closing his eyes, he prayed for sleep to take him before his own, tormented thoughts did.

Licorice wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he soon found himself cracking his heavy eyes open to the sound of the occasional thumping and various noises from the other room. He could swear he heard his mother’s voice speaking, though it was muffled by the walls and distance between them. Only when he heard the sing-song voice of his father responding to Ivlis did Licorice push himself up, rubbing at his eyes to remove the dried crust from them from his earlier tears. His eyes narrowed as he began to piece together what was potentially going on – Satanick had come once again to see Ivlis. Licorice gritted his teeth at this horrible timing. Rest wasn’t going to come easy tonight, was it?

Swinging his legs off the edge of the bed, Licorice realized he still had his shoes on. Oh, well, no harm falling asleep with them on; he now preferred it this way as he could make a quicker exit from his room down the hallway to Ivlis’s room. Licorice could feel his black and purple cape with his matching wings form around him as he pressed his ear to the thick wooden doors of his mother’s room. Part of him felt bad for eavesdropping on his parents like this, but Licorice was not in the best of moods right now. He did not want to have to deal with his father making more efforts onto his mother. Blinking a few times to refocus his thoughts, Licorice could make out a few words every now and then between his parents.

“…with me...” That sounded like Satanick, his voice coaxing.

“No!” Licorice could clearly make out the voice of Ivlis denying Satanick whatever he was trying to ask him. The sound of his poor mother always using that word ached Licorice’s heart; when was Father going to finally listen to Mother’s pleas? Licorice clenched his fists together, his black-painted nails digging slightly into the palms of his hands. As much as he wanted to rush in and defend his mother, Licorice knew now was that the appropriate time. As much as he despised Satanick in these moments, he still respected him enough to not intrude upon private matters. Well, at least, not all the time; only when he felt it was fitting to put a stop to it.

“You…have…choice.” Despite not clearly hearing every other word, Licorice knew that Satanick wasn’t giving Ivlis much of a choice in whatever he was asking for. Licorice tensed up, waiting for the next thing to occur, ready for the chance to barge in and assist Ivlis should he need it.

After a few seconds of silence, Licorice pulled his ear back for the door, staring at the wooden door in confusion. Why couldn’t he hear anything now? His brows furrowed in confusion. Determining it was probably the appropriate time to act, Licorice turned the knob on the door to Ivlis’s room, heart pounding with anxiety on what he could be potentially barging in on. To his surprise, the only thing in the room was the large, canopied bed, Ivlis’s furniture, and the window looking out at the dark red sky; no devils were there.

Licorice drew in a deep breath, teeth set on edge as he exhaled deeply. “Just my luck,” he whispered to the empty room in front of him. It was not on his agenda to go to the Pitch Black World tonight – in fact, he dreaded going there since the last time he had visited he wound up in Envi’s clutches – but the sleep-deprived son was determined to make sure his mother was safe. The foul mood he was in didn't help his line of reasoning either. 

The room remain still as Licorice transported himself out of the room to head to the one place he really did not want to travel to.


	3. Pervert

Licorice appeared in front of his father’s castle, the dark exterior looming over him. The way the spirals of the building twisted on certain edges was too reminiscent of his father’s own horns that resembled curled tree bark. This world was his father’s domain – he ruled over the entire land. Licorice hated being here, and he did not want to stay here any longer than he had to. Being reminded of his father was not helping his current situation. He was already on edge being in this realm once again. The last time he had been here was….

Licorice violently shook his head to dispel the thoughts, clenching his fists as he stormed up the stairs towards the large doors of the castle. Not even willing to knock today, Licorice pushed on the handles to swing open the wide doors, letting them bang open, the sound echoing through the empty hall.

Good, he thought. No one else was around. That gave him some sense of comfort. He did not particularly care right now if he was making a scene, but he still did not like the idea of eyes on him during this moment. All he wanted to do was get Mother and get out.

As Licorice wandered the empty halls of his father’s castle, he couldn’t help but look around at the familiar layout, furniture, and decorations he was so familiar with. It sickened him that he recognized and knew pretty much where everything was located and what it looked like. Further proof that he was here too often for his liking. Licorice sighed, realizing that every little thing was bothering him today. _Sleepless nights will do that, you know?_ he reminded himself of this. Still, it didn’t make it any easier for Licorice to try to cope with all his rampant emotions.

As Licorice finally arrived at his father’s room, he could easily hear Ivlis’s moans coming through the thick wood of his father’s double doors. Hearing his mother make those noises had Licorice feeling disgusted, disturbed, and strange all at once. So desperately he wanted to barge into the room and put a stop to Satanick forcing Ivlis into these filthy situations. Then again, Licorice knew that was not the right thing to do. Yes, he had come to stop these shenanigans once again, but each time he was too late to tug on his Mother’s hand to leave, Licorice stood here, powerless to do much except listen, walk away, and wait for Ivlis to be released from Satanick’s grasp. Licorice turned his back towards the wall next to the door, leaning his head back against the wall, his somewhat curled horns being the first thing to touch the wall. He closed his eyes a moment, only able to hear the moans, groans, and gasps from both Ivlis and Satanick. Despite his tired eyes, Licorice forced his hooded eyes open, staring at the lights above him. Maybe this could help burn away the things that ate at his mind? Wishful thinking; he knew that.

The sound of shoes on the flat floor had Licorice turning his head to his left, not wanting to have to deal with others in this place right now. Seeing who it was only deepened the illness inside Licorice. The deep red eyes, goat ears, and smirk from the suit-wearing demon was all Licorice needed to see to declare that this day was one of the absolute worst of his life; well, despite a few days ago. Licorice audibly sighed loudly the further the demon approached. He rotated his neck back up to stare at the ceiling. _Ignore him. Just ignore him, and maybe he’ll go away._ Licorice knew that was a half-hearted lie. When the footsteps stopped without continuing past him, Licorice ignored the shaking inside his chest and turned to see the man standing there, right hand on his hip as he side-eyed Satanick’s door, clearly listening for a moment to the noises filtering through.

Envi turned his gaze towards Licorice with another smirk. “So, listening in on your parents again?” Envi snickered, as if relishing in Licorice’s visible discomfort with his mere presence and the topic of conversation. “You’re a little pervert, aren’t you, Licorice?” The demon lightly laughed seeing Licorice’s cheeks begin to redden. He loved to see how discomfited he made the boy.

“S – Shut up!” Licorice snarled, trying to keep his voice low enough so the two of them would not be heard or discovered by the couple behind the doors. Though, from the intensity of the sounds, it didn’t sound like they were slowing down any time soon. Licorice wanted to say more back at the demon, but all he could do was glare. So desperately he wanted to tell this man to screw off, but nothing was coming out of his mouth.

Envi continued to smirk. “Yes, well, I’m here to stop your fun, boy.” Envi raised a hand, waving the back of his hand forward, as if in a “shooing” motion. “Go on; get moving.”

Despite the churning in his entire being, Licorice snapped back, “And why should I?”

Licorice noticed the umbrella Envi held in his left hand now pointed at his chest. The tip didn’t look relatively sharp, but Licorice knew that this was just another weapon of choice for this strange butler. He didn’t quite fear Envi in this moment, as he held some comfort knowing that his folks were on the other side of the door. No; that wasn’t right. Would Licorice really want to alert his parents to this? Most likely not, he realized.

“I cannot permit you to listen in to my lord’s…activities. You’re a threat to him, after all. Son or not, I've made it abundantly clear that anyone who opposes Mr. Devil will be punished.” Envi continued to smirk as Licorice scowled at him, staring down the length of the umbrella to that smug face at the other end of it.

Gulping in frustration, Licorice turned on his heel, practically stomping away. He hated obeying and backing down from this fight, but right now, it was not worth it. Like it or not, he didn’t want to risk another run in with this man.

_Disgusting._

_Sickening._

He supposed that he could just wait in the main hall until he could see his mother.

Licorice opened his eyes when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He realized his head was slumped over, as was his torso, over his thighs. He stared at the red rug below him before sitting upright in a startled motion. Realizing he had fallen asleep in one of the sitting chairs, Licorice took a moment to register the surprised face of Ivlis staring down at him, his red, scaled hand still raised after having tapped his son awake.

“Mother,” Licorice whispered, relief in his voice. He was quite happy to see Ivlis looked fairly well despite what Licorice feared had occurred in that bedroom. He loved looking at his mother – he was truly beautiful with his red and dark gray hair, tied back in a ponytail like Licorice’s. Those golden eyes reminded Licorice of his own when he looked in the mirror, and he was thankful that his eyes were just like Mother’s. Even with a plain white, button-up shirt and black pants, Licorice highly esteemed this person his absolute favorite in the world – Ivlis. It calmed him to see Mother first thing when he woke up, despite not being too keen about having fallen asleep in such an open setting, especially in his father's house.

Ivlis stared at his son in confusion, questioning why he was sleeping in this place. “What are you doing here, Licorice?” he asked, though he already suspected the reason. After all, this “song and dance” of Licorice coming to pick him up from Satanick had been going on for quite a while now. Ivlis was somewhat grateful that Licorice cared so much for him to come for him, though it honestly bothered him at times. Sometimes the way Licorice looked at him and said his name made Ivlis feel a bit uncomfortable. He usually shrugged it off to just Licorice acting like a child most of the time; even as an adult, he still was quite childish, so seeing him as an adult always so pleased to see him made Ivlis feel strange. After all, anytime someone looked at him with such interest, it wasn’t a good thing. Though, Ivlis supposed that only applied to Satanick in most cases. 

“I was waiting for you, Mother,” Licorice announced as he pushed himself up with his hands on his thighs. Only slightly taller than Ivlis, Licorice smiled down at Ivlis, and the flame devil couldn’t help but notice the dark circles underneath Licorice’s eyes and somewhat bloodshot eyes. Was he not sleeping properly, he wondered. Then again, Ivlis felt like he could barely sleep with Satanick’s constant hijinks at such odd hours of the day.

“Yeah, well, let’s get going then,” Ivlis sighed, not wanting to think any further on Satanick. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of his own son coming to get him periodically like this from Satanick. He understood that Licorice was super protective of him, but he did find it a bit strange and embarrassing. Despite that, Ivlis was somewhat grateful that somebody at least cared enough to try to help him out, even if it was their own child doing the assisting. Licorice nodded, lightly grasping Ivlis’s hand in his, which Ivlis always found odd, but nonetheless, he didn’t protest.

“Awww, leaving so soon?”

Speak of the devil – Satanick was behind him, wasn’t he? Ivlis groaned as he turned around to face Satanick, who was a few steps behind where he was standing, arms crossed nonchalantly over his chest, as if everything was perfectly normal.

Licorice hated seeing that wrinkled, white shirt on his father, knowing all too well why it was so crinkled like that. Even the man's belt wasn't quite buckled right.

Not so far away stood that goat-demon butler, his hands resting on top of the handle of an umbrella that was closed and pointing downwards. Ivlis didn’t quite like the way that guy was always around; Satanick’s loyal lapdog, for sure. Upon seeing the two of them, Ivlis could feel Licorice slightly tighten his hold on his hand.

“Father,” Licorice said, who had turned to look at the duo, his voice flat but bitter. Ivlis noticed the way Licorice stared at Satanick with such a placid yet cruel look on his face. He also took note of how Licorice’s eyes quickly darted to the subordinate; such a quick motion, but in it, Ivlis found it once again strange how Licorice looked and how he tightened his grip on Ivlis’s hand even more.

“We’re going.” With that final declaration, Licorice turned back around, pulling Ivlis with him, gently yet firmly. Ivlis practically tripped over his own feet as he faced forward again, letting Licorice drag him along. Today he was being a bit more forceful than usual. Perhaps he, too, was getting tired of this constant back and forth between worlds?

Ivlis and Licorice could both hear Satanick calling out behind them in his singsong voice, “Come back soon ~!,” not noticing the way Satanick happily waved at them. Ivlis could definitely hear Licorice growl in the back of his throat as he yanked the front door of the castle open, leaving with Mother in tow.


	4. Come See Me

Day after day. Week after week. Time passed by as normal, and so did the “routine” that had developed between this family of three. Satanick would – for the most part – stay in his world, attending to matters there that Licorice could care less about. Ivlis did the same, which Licorice was thankful for. He felt that the more he stayed in the Flame Underworld with his mother, the better off he would be. The more time he spent close to Mother, the calmer Licorice began to feel. The horrors of that one fateful day had slowly begun to ease their grip on his mind. Staying mostly in his child form, Licorice remained content just watching his mother take care of business in his own world. Licorice would smile whenever he saw Ivlis appear more relaxed and calm. His favorite times of the day would be when Ivlis would sit on his throne, relaxed, after a tiring day of taking care of his world's affairs, and Licorice would get the opportunity to sit on his mother's lap, smiling up at him. When Ivlis was slightly tired like this, he would simply enjoy this quiet time, patting Licorice's head. 

How he wished things would stay this way forever.

Yet, Satanick still came around. Licorice did not enjoy having his father around in the Flame Underworld, but he supposed it was better that he was here than stealing Ivlis off to the Pitch Black World. Some days would just be for a casual visit, Satanick trying to spend time with Ivlis and Licorice for some “quality family time.” Licorice was always suspicious of his motives, keeping a watchful eye on Satanick whenever he would visit. Though, he had to admit, Satanick did appear to be making more of an effort to get on their “good side,” or so it appeared from Licorice’s perspective.

_“Look, Lico; I brought you a present!” Satanick cheerfully called out one day, bending down at the waist to hand the child Licorice a large lollipop swirled with various colors. Licorice stared at it and then him with questioning, large eyes for a while, and Satanick chuckled seeing his son’s slight hesitance. “Hey, don’t be shy now. I know how much you like candy.”_

_That was true – Licorice did like candy. Slowly, he reached out, snatching the sweet treat from his father’s fingers, holding it up to his mouth to begin licking it. Satanick smiled seeing Licorice enjoy the lollipop, not seeming to mind that Licorice still eyed him with suspicion._

_“Licorice, what do you say to your father?” Mama’s voice prompted Licorice to look up at Ivlis who was staring down at him, waiting for Licorice’s manners. Even if Ivlis didn’t enjoy Satanick’s schemes, Licorice saw that Ivlis still wanted to raise him with manners; Mama was so nice._

_Licorice mumbled around the top of the large red sucker, “Thank you, Papa.”_

Looking back on it, Licorice knew that Satanick cared him - he knew that deep down inside. But he could still not get the disgust out of his chest or his brain. After all, he had seen and heard too many things from his father’s treatment of Mother. There was the sweet moments, which Licorice could appreciate, but when he saw the aftereffects of the times Ivlis was with Satanick, Licorice couldn’t help but feel ill. Did love really have to be so cruel?

_If he truly loved Mother, would he make him cry like that? If he loved Mother, why does he sometimes have bruises on his body?_

Licorice gritted his teeth as he thought about this, realizing that no matter how much he respected his father at certain times, seeing Ivlis getting repeatedly hurt in multiple ways left him feeling vengeful towards his old man.

_I wouldn’t do that to Mother. Never._

Even with those kind intentions in his heart, Licorice knew that this wouldn’t change anything. After all, here he was – yet again – in his father’s castle, dragging Ivlis out the door with his teeth set on edge, so tight he felt his jaw would break. Even when Mother would lightly protest about being fine to take himself home, Licorice ignored his meek requests.

_Mother is too nice._

What made things worse every time Licorice came to this world, in spite of weeks having gone by, was seeing Envi always around the corner. No matter where he went, that horrible excuse of a lackey was always near for his father’s every whim. Licorice tried to show no reaction to his discomfort around that man, but he couldn’t always hide his tense body, avoiding eye contact, or his snippy remarks when the man would say something to him. Licorice just hoped and prayed that nobody would be the wiser to how much he secretly detested this man.

_The two of them; they both are filthy scum._

The thought of his father being on the same level as that demon made Licorice feel all the more sickened and protective of his mother. Yes; both of them were victims to these cruel hands. Even if Satanick gave him sweets and affection at times, surely he was just as terrible as that violating Envi.

“Licorice, stop!” Ivlis finally raised his voice at his son, yanking his wrist from his grasp.

Licorice stopped in his tracks at the foot of the stairs that descended from his father’s castle doors. He turned back towards Ivlis with wide eyes, not realizing he had been steadily tightening his grip on his mother’s wrist as he sunk deeper into his dark thoughts. Ivlis stood there, his left hand holding his right wrist as he looked at Licorice with a bit of a heated look, his hair and eyes a lighter shade of red as his annoyance grew.

“Geez, what is wrong with you?” Ivlis questioned. “You’ve been acting strange lately.”

Licorice stood there, slightly hurt at being reprimanded by his mother. He stared at him for a bit, unsure what to say as he felt embarrassed and ashamed that he had let his thoughts get the better of him. “I – I’m sorry, Mother,” Licorice said, lowering his gaze at the tiny stones at his feet that lined the path and gardens in front of the castle. “Honestly, I’m sorry. I’m just…tired, is all.”

Ivlis sighed, seeing Licorice’s expression so remorseful for something so small. “Yeah, I’m sorry, too. I…I shouldn’t have gotten so upset with you.”

Licorice looked up to give a gentle smile at Ivlis before reaching out his hand again, palm up. _Mother is too kind._ “Come on; let’s just get out of here for today, Mother.” He was glad when Ivlis finally took his hand in his again.

As the two walked away, neither Licorice nor Ivlis took notice of Satanick watching from the front window, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His deep, purple gaze stared at the display between his lover and son, a stoic expression etched across his features as his jet black bangs hung partially over his eyes.

Envi sighed as he finally finished his duties for the day. It felt like every day was just one busy show that bled into another. Tiring as it might be at times being a subordinate to the devil, Envi was pleased he could perform any duties his lord desired – be it paperwork, locating individuals, or simple housework like brewing tea. Envi smiled, content with his lot. Sometimes Satanick's odd requests and certain things he did irked him at times, but all the same, Envi was at ease. 

As the days blended into weeks, Envi gave very little thought to that boy that he had taught a lesson to; in fact, he barely registered that day in his mind. The only time he thought about it was when the brat would come to this world on his father’s or mother’s behalf. Truth be told, as much as Envi disliked seeing the kid, he did enjoying how he could make the brat squirm with just a simple smirk or comment in his direction.

Envi enjoyed his life here, serving the Lord Devil.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

As he exited his master’s study room, having retrieved the empty cups and saucers from earlier in the day, Envi was greeted by Satanick outside the door, leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he had his right shoe propped up against the wall, casually leaning. Even in his black suit, Satanick exuded an air of informality. Seeing his lord in such a composed yet casual stance made Envi feel odd. He cared deeply for his lord, and he always wanted to serve him and see him happy. However, this side of Satanick seemed a bit too relaxed right now in front of him than the more unflappable and comical sides he saw of his lord.

“What can I do for you?” Envi asked, assuming that Satanick must surely need something from him if he was waiting outside like room like this.

“Nothing really,” Satanick said, his voice giving off that carefree attitude of his. “I just need to have a chat with you really quick. Nothing big. Come see me in my room when you’re finished.” With a smile, Satanick, pushed off from the wall with his foot, uncrossing his arms, as he strode down the hallway, his stance never wavering as Envi watched him head down the hallway.

Envi stared at the dishware in his hands, unsure what to make of this sudden request from Satanick. Sure, Satanick had an odd streak about him; Envi had been serving him for decades, so he knew what to expect from Satanick’s odd schemes at times, but the way he had just asked him like that with that look on his face….

“Strange,” Envi muttered aloud, turning to head down the hallway in the opposite direction of Satanick. First, he had to take care of this last chore before he could fully comply. As he carried along, Envi’s heart couldn’t help but race, along with his thoughts, about what the Devil Lord could possibly want from him with a look like that.

Trying not to think about it too much, Envi finished his duties, heading out of the large kitchen and dining area back down the hallway to Satanick’s room. Staring at the door, Envi felt a slight niggle in the back of his mind. Could Satanick have found out about the incident with Licorice? No, surely not! If he had, Satanick would have immediately confronted him about this, wouldn’t he have? After all, even Envi could see how much Satanick loved the boy despite the child’s obvious disdain for his father.

Yes. That mustn’t be the reason. Satanick didn’t know about the situation; therefore, there was nothing to fear.

As Envi took a deep breath to compose his thoughts to proper obedience, he entered his lord’s room, finding him sitting down at his wooden table near the back of his room. Satanick's black fingernails fiddled with the petals of a single, red rose that sat there in a vase – a staple to that table after all these decades. Upon seeing Envi enter the room, the door shutting behind him, Satanick gave a small smile to his most faithful subordinate. Envi felt a slight flutter in his heart seeing his lord give a genuine smile towards him. He quickly dismissed this thought, not wanting to get bogged down in this train of thought. It was just business per usual.

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter, sorry! But don't you worry - the next one will have the good stuff. :P


	5. Bluff

Satanick continued to give Envi that slight smile of his, watching as his number one subordinate entered the confines of his room. Satanick let his fingers droop from the rose petals to wave Envi in. “Come in, come in. Close the door behind you, would you, Envi?” He watched as Envi easily complied with his request, shutting the door behind him as he strode towards Satanick, stopping in the middle of the floor to stand ready for Satanick’s next instructions.

So prim and proper, this demon. The black butler coat, the red collared shirt, even the matching bow tie and dark red vest – this man was quite proper; playing the faithful role of his brooding angel-annihilator. Satanick slowly pushed himself up from the table, palms resting on the dark wood as he turned to face Envi properly. Arms hanging discreetly at his sides, Satanick began walking towards Envi. “Envi,” he began. “I have a question that I need help answering. You’ll be able to help me, right?”

Envi stood still as he watched Satanick methodically walk towards him. Even with such a simple question, Envi found himself a bit on edge with how…simple…Satanick was appearing right now. Swallowing hard, Envi nodded at his lord’s request. “Of course, sir,” he replied. “I’ll do my best to answer any of your questions.” That much Envi could do.

“You know, every time I bring Buri here and Licorice comes along, I’ve noticed he’s not too fond of you. Almost as if he’s avoiding you, Envi. Why is that?”

Satanick’s question was not one Envi honestly expected. Yes, he feared that could be a possibility, albeit a very low one. But now, hearing these damning words that formed into such a question, Envi began to feel trepidation creeping down his spine.

 _Calm down, Envi,_ he told himself. _He must not really know. Surely he couldn’t have found out._

“Envi, tell me something. What happened between Licorice and you?” Satanick – who had turned his gaze towards the floor for a brief moment – lifted his deep purple eyes towards Envi’s red ones. A chill slightly ran down Envi’s spine, as he could sense the devil’s agitation. No, more than that; he seemed to be exuding a darkness from himself that Envi only rarely saw.

“Lord Devil, I – I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean.” Envi kept a composed look on his face, though he could feel his body beginning to tense up, a lump forming in his throat. He hated lying to his lord, but surely he couldn’t be asking about _that_ incident…right? “Licorice and I haven’t quite seen eye to eye, if that’s what you’re asking, sir. He’s quite the unruly son to you, isn’t he?” It was no secret that everyone could see how much Licorice despised his father. He had even threatened his lord’s life at his weakest moment. Envi could still recall being at Satanick’s side while he vomited purple blood, moaning in pain. That was something Licorice would never understand – true devotion to someone.

“So, would you say that I’m lying?” Satanick continued his line of questioning, and Envi barely registered that Satanick had stepped closer to him – one step. Those eyes bore into his. Those eyes that were always gazing in a variety of emotions, but never with such…strangeness towards his followers.

“N – No! Of course not, sir. I don’t quite understand what you’re asking me, Lord Devil. I apologize.” Envi hated the stammer in his voice. He was normally so composed when speaking to his lord. He couldn’t afford to let him see him in such a compromising position; he’d know for sure that something was different about his number one subordinate. At times, Envi would be a bit "rougher" in his speech when Satanick was up to his usual shenanigans that sometimes irked Envi, but he would always do his utmost to be respectful towards Satanick. 

“Envi, I know.”

Those words pierced through Envi’s heart, feeling the sensation race like ice through his whole being. His eyes slightly widened when he noticed that Satanick had backed him into the wooden door he had just come through only a few minutes ago. When had that happened? Envi hadn’t even registered moving backwards, but surely he must have in order to feel the wood pressing into his back. Near his hips, the doorknobs poked out. It would be so simple to reach his hand behind him ever so slightly to turn the handle and shuffle his way out of this predicament. But he knew that with that false move, it would only incriminate him further.

 _Calm down, calm down_ , the rational side of his mind tried to reason. _Maybe he really doesn’t know what happened. Relax._

Satanick’s right hand slammed into the door next to Envi’s face, and the subordinate instinctively jumped. Satanick’s expression was harsh, his brows knitted as he stared deeply at his faithful subordinate. Dare he say, even a faithful friend to him. Satanick lowered his gaze to the floor for a moment before piercing Envi with his gaze yet again. Satanick raised his left hand to firmly pinch Envi’s chin between his thumb and forefinger, staring harshly into those red eyes.

“Envi,” Satanick said, his voice deeper and sounding more cold. Envi recognized this tone; one that wasn’t used quite often unless Satanick was deeply upset. And yet, he could see a kind curiosity in those purple depths that Envi was so familiar with. “Be honest with me. Remember – I am the lord of this world. I am the lord of _you_.” The way Satanick said that last word made Envi shudder – the way he spoke about his fealty.

Envi’s loyalty began to mix with guilt as he realized the truth in Satanick’s words. This man was his lord – the one that he devoted his life to serving. As his personal right-hand, Envi couldn’t allow his relationship with Satanick to deteriorate with the lie he was holding in. As twisted as it was, Envi did not want to risk losing his ties to this man from holding back such a horrible truth.

The whole thing sickened him; he did not want to say anything about the incident with Licorice. After all, Satanick clearly loved this boy; he was his own flesh and blood. Even so, Envi couldn’t let it stand how such an insolent brat who defied his master could be cared for when this child had no respect for his own father.

“Sir, I – I’m sorry,” Envi found himself stammering out. “Even if he’s your son, I – I couldn’t let him oppose you like this.”

Satanick’s eyes flickered for a moment, and Envi was unsure what the man was feeling or thinking. Even his face had turned stoic as he prompted Envi to continue. “Go on.” That cold tone; Envi hated that it was directed at him like this, but he couldn’t stand seeing Satanick in this state. Maybe if he confessed, everything would be alright in the end?

“Sir, I – I attacked Licorice. I…badly hurt him.” Envi wanted to turn his gaze away from Satanick, and he shifted his eyes away to the left, as he did not want to pull his face away from Satanick’s grip, nor could he as Satanick dug his fingers into Envi’s chin.

“Spit it out, Envi,” Satanick edged on. “Now!”

That slight raise in his voice; Envi complied with his lord’s demands.

“I tortured him, sir! I – I did…things…to him. I just wanted to teach the brat a lesson. He’s so insubordinate towards you; I can’t stand it! Please, forgive me, Lord Devil!”

Those heavy words hung in the air between them for what seemed like ages. Envi stared into the devil’s face, gauging what reaction Satanick was going to give. For quite some time, neither of them moved; neither of them even seemed to breathe. The tension and uncertainty was palpable.

“Wow.” Satanick slowly released his grip on Envi’s chin, slowly straightening himself fully. Only ever so slightly taller than Envi, Envi felt so small staring up into the unwavering eyes of Satanick. Just what was he thinking? What was he feeling? Envi always wondered this about Satanick. Now, more than ever, he wished he knew. As reality settled around him, Envi realized this devil literally held the power over his life. His fate was ultimately in his hands. Shaken by this, Envi swallowed hard, trying to calm his aching heart as he feared what the devil would say or do to him now that he had openly confessed to his crime.

He watched as Satanick slowly turned on his heel to walk away from Envi, standing in the middle of the room as he gazed out the closed windows of the balcony doors. The cloudy day seemed to hang over them even more harshly than before. Envi couldn’t help but wonder if his lord’s emotions were causing this change, or if he was just imagining it as the weight of his sin hung in the air.

Satanick was the first to speak. “Loyal to your own detriment, I see.” He turned to look over his shoulder, a small smile on his face. Those phlox-colored eyes seemed to hold a sense of…remorse in them. Was that what Envi was seeing? He couldn’t be quite sure. “I like that about you, Envi. Your devotion.” With those words, for a brief moment, Envi felt that maybe everything would be alright after all.

That is, until Satanick turned on his heel once again, putting his hands in his pants pockets as he stared deeply at Envi. Even from far away, Envi felt pinned in place by those eyes, as if he was being looked down upon by his lord. “You know, Envi, I actually didn’t know a thing about what you did.” He chuckled as he watched the goat demon’s mouth hang open slightly at this revelation. “Surprising, yes? It was merely a bluff. I’m a very good actor, you see; though, I suppose I _do_ wear my heart on my sleeve.”

Satanick began walking towards Envi, the subordinate frozen in place as Satanick let his words sink in. “I could see Licorice didn’t like you, so I figured I’d play a little “devil’s advocate” with you, to see what was truly going on. I honestly didn’t expect anything. Truly; I just thought Licorice was being ornery again.” Satanick chuckled, thinking of his son and his somewhat testy attitude at times.

“But, Envi.”

Envi stared up into Satanick’s face as his Lord Devil, not quite sure how he should be reacting in this situation. Had he really just openly admitted to torturing his lord’s child? And Satanick hadn’t even known? No, surely he had suspected something, right? Yet, Satanick had clearly just told him he hadn’t suspected Envi was guilty of anything.

 _You fool!_ Envi shouted at himself in his screaming mind, believing he had just dug himself his own grave. Managing to gasp out a feeble response, Envi asked the terrifying question, “What are you going to do to me?” Honestly, he feared Satanick and what he could do. He didn’t know how much power this ruler was capable of. Part of him suspected that death would be the ultimate sentence for his crime against the lord’s own son. He feared that; he didn’t want to die. Envi was not scared of death, per say. Rather, he hated the idea of leaving this world – of leaving Satanick.

As Envi tried to accept this fact, trying to take to heart the idea of separation from his lord, Envi froze when he saw Satanick give him a smirk that he hadn’t seen before directed at him, let alone from Satanick. The Lord Devil bent down slightly at the hip so his face was directly in front of Envi’s, their noses practically touching. As much power as this devil wielded, this simple action was enough to send Envi’s heart into a terrified flutter; an odd sensation he hadn’t experienced before.

“Envi, I think it’s time I show you how things are done around here in regards to true punishment,” Satanick said with a sinister smile slowly curling on his lips.


	6. Ultimate Punishment

Envi lie on his right side in a puddle of his own blood on the cold, stone floor of this dungeon. He dare not fight back against Satanick. It would have been easy to snap the ropes that that bound his hands behind his back, though Satanick had them tightly and expertly knotted. All the same, Envi continued to remind himself to let the punishment be enacted.

He hated this.

He hated feeling so helpless while he had allowed Satanick to punch, kick, and slice at him all he liked. His body was littered with a myriad of wounds – everything from the simple bruise to deep gashes along his torso, arms and legs. The thing that stung the most was Envi’s fingernails, as Satanick had plucked them off one by one with pliers, leaving behind nothing but raw, aching fingers that he couldn’t even see, though he could still feel the throbbing and blood dripping down his fingers. Satanick knew what torture was – after all, he had done this multiple times to that flame devil, hadn’t he? Envi wasn’t particularly fond of that devil from another world either. Why should such a low life even have the opportunity to be in the same room as Satanick, let alone become a lover to give birth to such a bratty son?

The more Envi let the hate and bile form inside him, the more he had to remind himself that his battle was not with them right now. Even if the man standing over him had just pierced him through the gut with another knife, Envi had to remind himself that this was Satanick. The torture he hated, but he could never hate the tormentor. The thoughts crept in on him like dark vines around his mind, but Envi swatted them away each time.

No. No, he couldn’t hate Satanick. He…was surely right in doing this to him.

“Envi,” Satanick cooed down at him, and the demon achingly was able to turn his bloodshot red eyes up to stare at him through the curtains of his olive-green bangs. He watched as Satanick crouched down, his knees raised to his chest, his arms resting across his knees. In his hands that hung down in front of him, Satanick now held a sharp, somewhat long scalpel. Envi worried what the next segment of torture was going to be. He felt Satanick’s fingers slide through his hair, pushing back Envi’s bangs to stare directly into Envi’s right eye that he always kept covered up with his long hair. How could this man’s fingers be so gentle yet so cruel all at once? Envi shuddered at his touch. All he could ever want was for Satanick to acknowledge him like this – to reach out and touch him gently – but not like this; never would Envi have imagined that this could become a possibility. Part of Envi blamed that bratty Licorice, trying to pin the blame all on him. Yet, deep down inside, Envi knew it was his own pride and devotion that had brought him to this point. Gulping, Envi kept his eyes on Satanick, even though he wanted to shut them to the pain that was to come.

Satanick brought the tip of the tool right to the corner of Envi’s right eye, closest to the bridge of his nose. Feeling the cold metal right near his eye and seeing it in his peripheral vision, Envi braced himself for the pain that was coming as Satanick sang out, “Envi, I never get to see both of your eyes like this. You have quite the handsome face when your bangs are out of the way.” The way he chuckled made Envi’s blood run cold once again, though the softly spoken words about his features made him feel even more conflicted and strange. He suspected what was to come, and he braced for the pain, hating that this was going to be quite troublesome than things already had been.

Envi gritted his teeth harshly, feeling his jaw beginning to ache as he tried to steel himself to the horrible sting and pressure that was being exerted into his eye socket as Satanick dug the tool around underneath his right eyeball. As he felt the blood mingling with his tears that naturally began to form in both of his eyes, Envi soon couldn’t contain the scream that was bellowing up inside his throat, nor could his jaw continue to clench for so long without breaking. He naturally shut his left eye, his right wanting to do the same if it weren’t for this man’s fingers holding his eyelids pried open as he gouged the eyeball. The sickening sounds of this part of his body being scooped out left Envi feeling slightly ill. The strangest sensation of the nerves and fibers of his red eye hanging on for dear life left Envi curiously and painfully opening his only eye to watch Satanick holding his eyeball in his now bloody left hand. Envi watched as Satanick gleefully sliced at the last few strands holding Envi’s eye in place. Envi groaned, and Satanick held the red eye up, as if examining his new prize in the dim lighting of this room. Envi’s bangs had retreated back over his now gaping eye socket, the bloody strands at least providing some coverage to the horror that lie behind it.

Envi coughed as he felt his vocal cords becoming strained with these occasional yells he couldn’t hold back. Yes, he was a demon, and he could endure quite the pain, but it was still a horrifying experience to have the one he most admired do such things to him, justified as they might be.

As Envi lie in his own blood, guilt, shame, and mess of emotions, he was able to see Satanick now standing up, walking over to the left hand side of the wall to a wooden shelf. On it were jars filled with liquid that Envi did not quite recognize. Blinking away the tears and blood that leaked over from his missing eye, Envi watched Satanick unscrew the lid of the jar to plop Envi’s eye into it. He turned back to stare at the demon on the floor, a proud smile across his facial features as he tightened the lid back on to his newly acquired gift. “Isn’t it lovely, Envi? Your eye will stay here as a reminder of your sin. Isn’t that grand?” Waving the jar at Envi even from this distance, Envi felt disgusted seeing his own eye floating in that suspending liquid before Satanick placed it back onto the shelf.

As Satanick returned to Envi’s side, he now took a seat onto the cold, wet floor of the dungeon, sitting cross-legged in front of his number one ally. Satanick reached a hand out to once again brush back Envi’s now bloodied bangs to stare at the unsightly wound he had left. With a satisfied smirk, Satanick continued talking.

“Even with your eye missing, Envi, you really are a handsome man.” Why did this devil’s fingers have to feel so soft and kind while also able to deal out such torture? This contrast of Satanick’s had Envi’s emotions reeling even more. Surely he’d throw up any moment now if this kept up.

“S…Sir,” Envi whispered, his voice a bit hoarse from screaming and without any liquid. “Please…don’t say such things….” He hated to beg like this, but he had to make it clear to Satanick that he couldn’t bear to hear him say such things to his already tumultuous feelings he felt towards this ruler. Truthfully, he hadn’t even properly given these thoughts room to ever bloom. Hearing them now was honestly a form of torture all on its own. So, why was he being so loose-lipped about this now? Realizing his mistake, Envi tried to hang his head down so he wouldn’t have to look into Satanick’s face.

“Uh uh,” Satanick chastised him, his fingers gripping onto Envi’s head to make sure his head would remain lifted and his gaze on him. “You don’t get to avoid this, Envi.” Leaning closer, Envi felt the panic as well as the anticipation creeping along his spine as he saw that look in Satanick’s eyes.

No.

No, surely he wouldn’t….

“Envi, you care about me, don’t you? More than any of the others in this place, only you would be so loyal.” Even as Satanick gave him that lustful look, Envi could see the malice that still lingered in this devil’s eyes. This gentle, yet hateful man knew just what strings to pull to make his faithful servant dance for him.

This distance was finally closed between them as Satanick placed his soft lips onto Envi’s mouth in a gentle kiss. As Satanick’s eyes closed, Envi’s left eye widened in surprise as his body stiffened. The pounding in his heart and head was too much to bear. These feelings he had shut down for the greater good of being a loyal follower began to sneak back into his brain and heart like the snakes they were. Envi scrunched his face up as he tried to resist these feelings coursing through his body. Why, oh why, did Satanick have to do this? Why must he be so cruel like this? Burning tears stung Envi’s eye, leaking out from the corner onto the stone floor below him. Satanick finally pulled back with a satisfied, sinister, and almost regretful face.

Neither of them spoke for what seemed like ages as Envi tried to process what he wanted to say to this man that played with his heart. Soon, he found the words and courage to plead with Satanick, “Sir, please….Just end this already. Kill me.” Envi had thought that death and separation from Satanick would have been the worst thing that could have happened to him – to lose his status with someone he truly cared for. Now he realized that this horrible teasing and new form of torture was more than he could bear at this moment in time.

Huffing out a slight laugh through his nose, Satanick gave his final verdict to the pleading demon below him. “No, Envi. No, I don’t think I will kill you. You see –,” Satanick slid his hand out from Envi’s hair, letting it slide slowly through his blood-caked fingers “– there is a fate that is worse than death for you, isn’t there?” He gave a sly smile down at Envi once more before continuing. “I said it before, and I will say it again; you are loyal to your own detriment, Envi.”

Satanick pushed up off of the floor with his hands upon the stones, uncrossing his legs as he stood up. Envi unwillingly followed those long legs up to see Satanick’s dark purple eyes staring down at him, his voice deepening to that tone that didn’t quite sound like him at times.

“Envi, I will always care about you. But I will never, ever love you. As such, you don’t get the luxury of death. You will stay with me as you always have been, with this knowledge hanging over you.”

Those words.

Yes, those words were something Envi knew. Deep down inside, he knew these words to be true. He honestly would have preferred death. To live with this knowledge that things would never be the same between this ruler and subordinate killed Envi. To know that Satanick would always look at him with suspicion and disgust made Envi wish for death as his punishment. The psychical pain was nothing now. Inside, he felt as if he was bleeding to death – slowly and painfully. And this pain wouldn’t fade; it would continue till the end of his time.

He would remain by Satanick’s side, loyal to the end, even as his heart ripped apart.

Truly, this was the ultimate punishment for his crime.

Lost in his own despair, Envi felt the wind leave his body as a sharp kick from Satanick’s foot made contact with his previously pierced gut. He coughed, feeling the blood creeping up his throat, a bit splattering onto the floor below him once again, blending in with the rest. As he groaned, trying to hold back the internal groans that threatened to spill out along with these physical reactions, he heard Satanick ask in such a cold tone, “Understood, Envi?”

It killed him. It killed him to live with this weight.

But…if it meant he could still be by Satanick….

“Yes…sir,” Envi whispered out in a choked voice, forcing himself to look up at his master. Faithful till the end, wasn’t he?

With a final smirk, Satanick turned on his heel to head out of the dungeon. Flipping the switch near the door, the dim room became pitch black save for the light that crept through the half-open doorway that Satanick stood in. With his hand resting on the door frame, Satanick looked back over his shoulder to the shadow of a broken man on the floor. Was he proud that he had done this to his most faithful follower; dare he say, friend? No; what pride could be had in such an experience?

Yet, looking back at this man and imagining Licorice in this same predicament made the ire in Satanick grow once more. Perhaps some satisfaction could be found in this after all. Without another word to Envi, Satanick slipped out of the dungeon, letting the heavy door slam behind him with a resounding echo. Surely the darkness and alone time would give Envi enough time to contemplate his crimes. He would return for the demon when he was good and ready. A bit of a smile crept onto Satanick’s face as he strode down the hallway, further and further away from someone he had once respected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry my fics are taking longer! 
> 
> This was a bit of a busy weekend, and the coming week is a bit hectic, too. But don't worry - I will keep on writing while I return to the real world for a bit, lol. :P


	7. Faithful

Licorice sat in the silence of the main hall, lying across the sofa as he stared up at the ceiling. He had his left arm dangling down off the couch, his other resting across his mid-section. Things had been quiet lately; a little too quiet. Licorice was quite thrilled that no commotion or unforeseen circumstances had arisen. Truth be told, even Mother wasn’t being stolen away or forced into uncomfortable scenarios as of late either. That was the ultimate thing Licorice was grateful for; well, besides for not having to see Satanick or be near that world.

The more time Licorice spent away from all of that, the more he felt like life could return to normal, whatever that might be. He hadn’t really given much thought to his ordeal or the trauma he felt, but every now and then the thought would creep into his mind. Each time he shut them down as fast as he could so they couldn’t take root into his mind or heart. Yes, he still felt sickened by everything that had occurred, but if he could avoid thinking about that time, the better off he was. In short, the quiet actually did him well. Now, he had more time to focus on staying in this world with Mother and keeping him happy. He smiled thinking about that. 

Mother did appear happier without having Satanick around. Licorice was glad he hadn’t seen his father in a while. Sure, Mother seemed stressed at times with whatever duties he was taking care of at the given moment, but if he was at peace, then so was Licorice.

Come to think of it, Licorice hadn’t seen or heard from Ivlis in quite a while. Licorice assumed that he was probably just caught up in more business, but that slight discomfort in the pit of his stomach had him questioning if he was truly alright. With a sigh, Licorice pushed himself up from the sofa, beginning to make his rounds around the castle to see if Ivlis was in any of his usual places. He wasn’t in the throne room, nor in his office. Licorice soon found himself knocking on Ivlis’s bedroom door with no response. Licorice let out another exasperated sigh, feeling uneasy. He knew that this did not necessarily mean Ivlis was with his father, but he still found himself unsure.

Deciding it was best to confirm his fears himself, Licorice hesitantly arrived in the Pitch Black World, his hair and cape settling down behind him after his sudden transport. As he adjusted to the somewhat bright yet cloudy day this world had to offer, the site before he took him aback quite a bit. Sitting on a bench was that goat demon. He was off to the left hand side of the garden, and by his posture alone, Licorice thought he looked quite sullen. He was looking down at the gravel beneath him, only raising his face to stare at Licorice’s sudden appearance.

When Envi’s eyes met his, Licorice instinctively froze, bile and ire rising in him at the site of this man. However, this soon faded as he realized the demon looked down yet again; no smirk, no teasing – nothing. If anything, that put Licorice off a bit more. Just what game was he playing? Was he truly not going to bother him anymore? Was the incident finally ready to be buried? Licorice gritted his teeth, a tad angry over this. Yes, he was happy that Envi was not harassing him, but was he really going to sit there and pretend that nothing had occurred? To just move along in his life?

 _Good for him if he can_ , Licorice sarcastically thought as he tried to reason within himself that perhaps it was time he, too, bury this entire thing. He would never forgive or forget what Envi had done to him, but perhaps it was time to put the final nail in the coffin – to stop letting it eat at him.

That didn’t matter right now, he told himself. Right now, he had a mission. He would worry about himself at another time when he could think more clearly. Mustering up his courage, Licorice called out to Envi, “Where is he?”

Envi now stared at Licorice a moment, seemingly unfazed by the boy’s question. Licorice’s agitation just grew, and he rephrased the question, “Where is my father?”

The man gave a small smirk, as if amused at Licorice’s frustration, but that was merely the extent of his vile look. Envi nodded his head towards the left at the front of the castle. “He’s inside. Why not go find him yourself?”

So, father really was here; mother must be too, Licorice reasoned. Without a second glance towards Envi, Licorice strode past the demon and up the stairs into his father’s castle. All the while, he couldn’t quite figure out why that filthy, filthy man was being almost…normal towards him. The thoughts were bothersome, and it pestered Licorice to no end, but now was not the time. Focusing his thoughts, Licorice soon found himself in front of his father’s door. Afraid of what noises he would hear, Licorice listened, only this time he didn’t hear anything at all. Frowning, Licorice wondered if maybe Satanick had taken Ivlis somewhere else. He shook his head, not wanting to think about that. With a deep breath, he figured the only way to find out was to see if Satanick was actually in there. Raising his right fist, Licorice rapped his knuckles on the door, waiting – almost hoping – for a reply.

To his surprise, the door actually opened soon after his knock, and Licorice’s eyes met those of his father. Those purple eyes met his with a bit of shock – as if surprised to see his son there. His eyes then softened and he smiled just as sweet. Licorice always found it disturbing to see his father show such kindness when he knew what he was capable of behind closed doors with Mother. Narrowing his eyes, Licorice peeked behind Satanick to see if Ivlis was in there, but he found no trace of him from what he could see.

Satanick noticed Licorice’s prying eyes, and he chuckled. “What’s wrong, Licorice? You looking for something?”

Licorice returned his gaze to his father, still on guard. “For _someone_. Where is he?”

Tilting his head to the side, Satanick showed a confused expression for a moment. Then his eyes lit up as he realized whom Licorice would be referring to. “Ohhh, you’re looking for Buri-chan?” Satanick stepped back, sweeping his arm in front of him and into the room, inviting Licorice inside. “He’s not here today. But you’re more than welcome to come in. I’d love to spend some time with you, Lico.”

Licorice hated that nickname his father gave his mother. But what really bothered him was this uneasiness at how nonchalant Satanick was acting. Was Mother seriously not here? Or was he just being teased to put Licorice off this trail? Not quite believing Satanick, Licorice decided to bear it and enter Satanick’s room – not to accept his invitation, but to see if maybe there was any trace of Mother around.

Passing by his father, Licorice could see the genuinely happy smile on Satanick’s face at Licorice having decided to enter his room. Licorice stood near the door as he scanned his father’s room, seeing nothing but furniture, the large bed, and his black dress jacket thrown haphazardly over an arm chair. There was truly nothing here that indicated that Ivlis had been here. Still suspicious, Licorice turned back to his father’s smiling face, his orange-golden eyes searching the man’s face for any trace of a hint. “Mother’s really not here?”

“Licorice, you really think I’d lie to you? I’m your father.” Satanick raised his right hand up, as if swearing an oath and putting it over his chest. “I give you my word. I really haven’t seen him in a while.” He sighed out, putting his hand now on his hip as he raised his eyes to the ceiling in thought. “I do miss Buri. I really need to see him soon.”

Just from his father’s showy actions, Licorice could tell he was being honest with him, though hearing his father say he wanted to see his mother again made him feel even more disgusted than he already had been today. Well, if Ivlis wasn’t here, Licorice supposed he really was at home somewhere; he chastised himself for being so quick to jump to conclusions and not properly look around for Ivlis.

“Well, I’ll be leaving then.”

Licorice began to walk past Satanick, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty at seeing Satanick’s smile beginning to droop. He wasn’t quite sure how to feel when Satanick reached out his left hand to gently grab onto the top of Licorice’s arm. “Lico, wait.”

Paused in his steps, Licorice turned to meet his father’s gaze. Staring at that dark hair that sometimes drooped in front of his father’s eyes reminded him of his own dark hair mingled with that of his mother’s length. Instinctively, Licorice wanted to pull out of his father’s grip, but he held himself back, allowing the man to say whatever it was he clearly had on his mind.

With a sad smile, Satanick said, “Please, come visit me again soon, Licorice. I really would love to spend more quality time with you.” The way his eyes pleaded with his, Licorice couldn’t help but feel bad about brushing his father off like this yet again. “Okay?”

Closing his eyes for a second to process his own thoughts and emotions, Licorice let out a sigh as he determined that he really should give his father a chance – albeit it a forced one. “Yeah, sure. I…suppose.”

The color seemed to return to Satanick’s already pale face as a smile and light began to creep back into his features. “Thank you, Licorice.” The authentic tone in Satanick’s voice made Licorice feel strange – like he did something right for this man. Not quite sure what else to say or do, Licorice nodded at Satanick before walking out of the room. Satanick stood there, watching Licorice stride down the hall, his black cape and purple wings flapping behind him.

Sitting in the silence of the garden, Envi allowed the soft sounds of the wind brushing past the flowers and grass to fill his thoughts as he tried to calm his mind. He had not expected to see Licorice today; the panic of seeing the boy had him reeling inside, though he outwardly played this off. After all, the kid was just another reminder of his failures. Thankfully, Licorice and him had not crossed paths today; for that, he was thankful.

Yes, from now on, he wouldn’t be approaching that boy anytime soon to tease him. He had learned that the devil’s son was something he should never touch. Even if it pained him that the child still seemed so insubordinate, Envi had determined in his heart that he would bite his tongue and control his hands. The healing bruises and wounds were a reminder of this internal commitment. 

“Envi.”

Envi jumped slightly at the voice of Satanick behind him. He placed his hands on the bench he was sitting on to steady himself, breathing out in relief as he tried to steady his now pounding heart. It had been a few days since Satanick’s punishment, yet Envi still remained somewhat on edge around the devil lord. It didn’t help that he had appeared behind him so suddenly without any indication that he was there.

“S – Sir,” Envi stuttered out, clearing his throat to help him regain his equanimity.

Satanick gave a slight chuckle seeing the demon jump so easily. Placing his hands on the back of the bench, Satanick leaned forward to meet Envi’s gaze head on, his face inches from his. “So, I see Licorice came to visit briefly. Did you see him, Envi?”

Envi gulped, afraid that his lord was implying something once again. “Y – Yes, sir. I did see him.” His palms began to sweat even though he knew that he had done nothing to warrant any further punishment. Satanick’s eyes bore into his for quite a while, as if searching Envi’s face for any deceit. The demon wanted to break this gaze, though he feared doing so would somehow falsely incriminate him. Seemingly pleased with what he saw, Satanick gave a content smile, sliding his left hand off of the bench to reach up and slide aside Envi’s bangs with his index finger – as if sweeping back curtains. Looking into the dark, empty eye socket – now beginning to close up bit by bit – Satanick gave a satisfied grin as he allowed the olive-green blinds to cover this harsh reminder.

Envi breathed out a sigh of relief as Satanick gave a nod towards Envi. “Good boy, Envi.” The goat demon shuddered when Satanick leaned forward just a tad more to give a gentle kiss to Envi’s forehead. The devil lord soon slid back with a light chuckle. The crunch of Satanick’s dress shoes in the gravel as he walked off brought Envi back to reality as he tried to calm the dizziness that danced in his mind.

Envi slowly turned around to lean forward with his arms across his knees, grateful for the bench underneath him to give him the support he needed.

Part of Envi could not help but wonder if things could ever return to normal. A silly thing, he knew. The sins he committed would never be absolved. Yes, his crimes had been dealt with, but this punishment seemed as if it would drag on forever. Envi curled his fists - disgust, anger, and guilt once again rearing their ugly heads. Shaking his head to shake out these demonic emotions, he continued to breathe in and out the best he could to prepare himself for the rest of the day. 

After all, he was still the number one subordinate to the devil lord of the Pitch Black world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that read or stopped by on this fic. :)
> 
> It might not be my best one, but I enjoyed exploring this "what if" scenario. I think Envi would always be faithful to Satanick, and Satanick would keep Envi around, never quite forgiving or forgetting what he did to Licorice. 
> 
> Either way, thank you all for your support. :) <3


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